How many molecules of carbon dioxide enter the Calvin cycle to produce one molecule of carbohydrate?

Correct answer: B. 3

  • A. 2
  • B. 3
  • C. 4
  • D. 1

Explanation

During the Calvin cycle, three molecules of carbon dioxide (CO₂) combine with three molecules of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) through the enzyme RuBisCO. This produces six molecules of 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PGA), which are then reduced using ATP and NADPH to form one molecule of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P) - a 3-carbon carbohydrate. Therefore, three CO₂ molecules are required to produce one molecule of a 3-carbon carbohydrate (G3P).

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